I feel
incredibly blessed to be able to share with you baby Julia’s birth story. Let
me start off by saying that Julia has been my easiest labor and delivery out of
all three of my children. Each of my labor and delivery experiences has been
quite different. With my first born I was nervous and although I had read and
researched everything I could about labor and delivery – you never truly
understand labor and delivery until you go through it. With my second child I
had back labor and had issues getting admitted {which did little to calm my
nerves}. This time around I was calm and collected and ready to rock out my
labor and delivery!
It all
started Wednesday June 19th at about 4:30 in the morning. I started to feel
some contractions. Contractions I could time, so I knew they weren’t Braxton
Hicks contractions – they were the real deal. I laid in bed awake timing my
contractions and trying to rest as much as possible. By the time 5:30 rolled
around I knew that I was not going to be getting any more sleep so I got up,
showered, and made my bed. Then I started cleaning.
I took
the boys downstairs and let my husband get another hour of sleep while the kids
and I ate breakfast and straightened up the house. By the time my husband
emerged from upstairs the first floor of the house had been vacuumed and
cleaned up and the boys were dressed for the day. We then called to share the
good news that “It was on like Donkey Kong” – this is how my husband has let
everyone know that the newest addition of our family was on its way and yes, he
did this with each and every child. I then called the hospital to let them know
I would be on my way.
My
mother-in-law came to the house and picked up the boys so that my husband and I
could head to the hospital. My husband had planned on our electrician to be at
the house working on the basement for the day, so as they boys were getting in
the car to head to grandma’s house for the day our electrician was walking in
the door. Needless to say he was a wee bit freaked out that I had to pause
during our conversation to breathe through a contraction.
Shortly
thereafter we headed to the hospital and checked in. I was 4 cm dilated and very
quickly admitted – as this was my third child, my contractions were 4-5 minutes
apart, and we had forewarned the staff that once my water broke things tended to
move quickly. The nursing staff was very surprised by the fact that I was
laughing and having a good time jesting – you know- in between contractions.
I had a
wonderful nurse {Ashlee} who took care of me. My contractions were coming every
3 minutes and were getting stronger, but they were still manageable {thank the
Lord that I did not have to go through back labor with this one!}. I was checked
again and once my blood work was back and I had enough fluid from the IV I was
given my epidural. They had my husband leave the room when they administered
it, which was new as he had always held me hand through this part of the
process. Once the epidural was given I was able to just sit back and relax
through my contractions.
After
about an hour I was checked again and was told that my water had still not
broken on its own and that they were going to break my water. I was fine with
this course of action and very quickly my doctor came in and broke my water. My
doctor informed my nurse that she needed a 2 minute warning and that she would
be very upset if another doctor delivered my baby because she didn’t have time
to run to the room.
My
mother-in-law arrived at the hospital shortly after. She dropped the boys off
at my sister-in-laws house so that she could be at the hospital for the birth
of her newest grandchild {she has been at the hospital with me for all three of
my kids labor and deliveries}. She brought my husband Portillo’s for lunch… I
was not allowed to eat anything – nor did I want to.
Pretty
soon I was telling my nurse that I was ready to push. She checked me and I was
10 cm dilated and apparently crowning. She raced off to tell my doctor that I
was ready and within 2 minutes my doctor was racing in the door {literality
running into the room}. My room was abuzz with staff getting everything ready
and my mother-in-law was kicked out of the room {I have a rule about my husband
being the only one in the room}. Within minutes of me starting to push my
mother arrived {she was also not admitted into the room – as my doctor yelled out
the door that there was just no time… we were “having a baby!”}
I love
my OB and find her extremely funny. She is wonderful, efficient, and blunt. She
calls it like she sees it, but has a fabulous sense of humor. Needless to say,
when we are in the same room together we tend to laugh… we laugh a lot. So
while I am having contractions and the staff is getting everything ready and
just so, the nursing staff, my OB, and I are all laughing and have a good old
time. Seriously. My mother and my mother-in-law were waiting outside the door
wondering what in the world was going on and why I was laughing.
I gave
one and half pushes and baby Julia was born. It happened very quickly and I
could not believe just how quickly it happened myself. I remember asking my
doctor, “Did I really just push her out that quickly?” … Then we all started joking
around and laughing again.
There
was a little cause for alarm when my doctor informed me that I was bleeding
more than I should be. I was given a shot in my numbed leg to help with my
bleeding and very soon after everything was right as rain again.
Baby
Julia was in my arms and she was PINK! She was sweet and beautiful and had
hair! Once everything was cleaned up and put away my mother and my
mother-in-law were admitted into the room and got to meet baby Julia for the
first time. They asked about why were laughing so much and were very surprised
by how quickly she was delivered. Soon after everyone but my husband cleared
out and we were wheeled down to recovery where I had another awesome nurse
{Sara}.
This
was by far my easiest labor and my easiest delivery. It was also my quickest.
Julia was very accommodating in every way and has proven to be just as accommodating
at home. She is a beautiful baby and I am truly blessed to be able to say that I
am her mother.
